Llj's 2.5G - I Swear, The Last One!

[lljdma06]

Some more video, because I can.

Black sun extended.



Sun coral extended.



They rest today, did a water change and I'll feed tomorrow. The lady said feed 3x a week.

A picture of the black sun.

FTS

I'll stop with the peechurs for now! Don't want to tucker you out.

 

[lljdma06]

Teeny update... Literally.

I'm getting my livestock for this tank on Sunday or Monday.

Pompom crab



Panda gobies - I get my pick of the group.

Thanks for looking.

L

 

[ian]

This is a great journal llj! It all looks amazing, well done, as ZZ says the sense of depth is great.

 

[lljdma06]

This is a great journal llj! It all looks amazing, well done, as ZZ says the sense of depth is great.

Thanks, Ian. Honestly, as you get more corals, you are indeed more concerned about their proper placement within the system than maintaining a viable scape. You'll see this in the 8g. Fortunately, now that I have a good supply of epoxy, I can attach corals better and preserve the layout. This will be important in the 36g, where I'd like to preserve the rock work, well, as much as the jawfish will let me.

L

 

[lljdma06]

Mini update...

The panda goby died at the LFS. It wasn't eating. They are going to try again. If it doesn't work, I'll rethink the fish. For now, we'll give it another go.

I did pickup the pompom crab and it's now acclimating.

 

[lljdma06]

And now we have video...



Thanks for looking,

L

 

[Dieses Madchen]

I do not even know why I am following this, as I do not have a saltwater tank. My husband wants one though, and he wants to start small, and reading your journal has showed me what awesomeness you can fit in a tiny tank. May I ask the cost of such a small setup? My husband was want to start with 10-15g max. but we are worried about how expensive setup for a saltwater tank is.

Fascinating little tank. I really adore your pompom crab.

 

[lljdma06]

I do not even know why I am following this, as I do not have a saltwater tank. My husband wants one though, and he wants to start small, and reading your journal has showed me what awesomeness you can fit in a tiny tank. May I ask the cost of such a small setup? My husband was want to start with 10-15g max. but we are worried about how expensive setup for a saltwater tank is.

Fascinating little tank. I really adore your pompom crab.

First, thank you very much. It's a great little tank. Started off as a zoanthid garden, but I am very glad I'm finally able to get the livestock I really wanted. That being said, it's really better to start off big. I've got a lot of years in the freshwater part of the hobby and I did picos when I did freshwater. They are even more difficult to do in SW. Just letting you know. Bigger is better. This is a cute little tank, but it's a tough little tank.

Price breakdown... A lot of this stuff I had lying around, so I didn't pay for it, but if you wanted to start from scratch... The red stuff is the stuff I already had or got free from friends.

$12.99 for the 2.5g tank with a glass cover (Good ol' Petsmart)
$40 for the lighting (this is only good for nps and maybe zoanthids and mushrooms)
$12 for the LR (not even)
$13.99 for the Rio+ 50 power head
$13.99 for the red sea filter that I converted to a refugium
$7 for the refugium light
$2.99 for the thermometer
$8.99 for a bag of live sand (you don't need this, but I like it)

Extra money to buy RO/DI water to fill up your tank and do water changes. I have an RO/DI unit. My sun corals were about $35-40 each. My mushroom frags are like $6, but you can get those free from another hobbiest.

L

 

[Dieses Madchen]

Thats not bad at all really. What is the maintanance like? is it much different from freshwater fish?

 

[lljdma06]

Thats not bad at all really. What is the maintanance like? is it much different from freshwater fish?

If you went with zoanthids and mushrooms, you're ok with weekly water changes. But I have nps that require heavy-feedings, so I need to keep the water very clean. Right now, I do about 60-70% water change weekly. Yes, if the specific gravity is the same, this is totally ok to do, especially in a pico. Whoops! I forgot...

$30 refractometer (get it off eBay)
$30 API water tests (a lot of people use salifert, but it's too expensive) Honestly, though, I'm not a huge tester. I keep meaning to do water tests. Yikes, sorry, betrayed that I'm really laisse faire about this. I need to start testing Calcium and Mg in this tank, though, because the sun corals consume these minerals. Granted with such large water changes, I'm sure I'm repleneshing the minerals, but you never know.

Gotta do a water change now.

L

 

[Dieses Madchen]

Well, my husband is military looking to get out in the next 2 yrs. Once we are stable, we plan to do a saltwater setup. Seeing your tank has shown me that it doesnt have to be a big eloborate tank, and that so much awesome can be packed into a small little space. Thank you for responding, and I cannot wait to cross over to the salty side

 

[lljdma06]

Well, my husband is military looking to get out in the next 2 yrs. Once we are stable, we plan to do a saltwater setup. Seeing your tank has shown me that it doesnt have to be a big eloborate tank, and that so much awesome can be packed into a small little space. Thank you for responding, and I cannot wait to cross over to the salty side

Well, once you crossover, we'll be happy to help you with your setup. Are you US?

L

 

[Dieses Madchen]

Well, my husband is military looking to get out in the next 2 yrs. Once we are stable, we plan to do a saltwater setup. Seeing your tank has shown me that it doesnt have to be a big eloborate tank, and that so much awesome can be packed into a small little space. Thank you for responding, and I cannot wait to cross over to the salty side

Well, once you crossover, we'll be happy to help you with your setup. Are you US?

L

Yes actually, and in bout 2 years we will be moving back to the south.

 

[lljdma06]

Haha, in a year I may be headed to St. Louis for the Aquatic Gardener's Association Convention.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

that's awesome lol